need advise on a parrakeet

[deelam]

We have had a parakeet for a couple of months. Up until recently, he has been friendly. The past week, he hasn't wanted to leave his cage or jump on our fingers. ABout 1AM last night I heard him squawking very loudly. I went to check on him and found that the the cage door was open and there was a mouse in there with him. I think the bird was very scared, but I don't think the mouse hurt him. the mouse got away, so that is a whole new problem we have to deal with. Does anyone know if my bird could have been harmed by this mouse? The bird's behavor has been unfriendly for the past week. Could it be that he has been scared at night because of this mouse? I don't think the mouse could squeeze through the bars of the cage. But someone told me that a mouse can squeeze into any opening. I'm hoping the only night this mouse got in the cage was the night the cage door was left open.

 

[experiment626mom]

The mouse could bite your bird and give it any number of diseases. If the mouse has been around your bird's cage (not in it just around) your bird could be acting the way he is because he is frightened to come out.

Time to get a mousetrap!!

 

[deelam]

I can only imagine that a mouse carries a number of diseases. I'm really upset over this. My son will be heartbroken if anything happens to this bird. So will I. My husband is on a mission to catch this mouse. This is the first instance we have had of a mouse in the house. We had a cat for many years and she died last spring. We never saw a mouse for the 14 years we were in our house.

 

[Big V]

I would think that the mouse was just going after the bird seed. I wouldn't think he was going after the bird. Hope you catch the mouse!

 

[deelam]

He was going after the bird seed and the bird seed treats in the cage. It didn't seem like he was after the bird. But the bird was really freaking out.

A friend told me that you never have just one mouse. What is the best way to rid your house from mice?

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

I think you should bring the bird to a vet as soon as possible to ensure he hasn't been bitten. It's very unlikely that could have happened. He's probably very scared, though.

He trusts you to keep him safe, and he's probably reacting to that. Is there a way you can move the bird's cage to your room to sleep with you until he's feeling better?

You also need to make sure his cage is cleaned daily and that no food is left in the cage overnight. It's likely that the mouse was in the cage looking for food.

Good luck with your sweet little fid! I'm sure he'll be back to normal before long.

 

[ChristmasElf]

I know that they are "yucky" but the BEST way IMO is the glue strips. Place them at the openings to every doorway against the wall. You could sprinkle a little bird seed, but you will catch the mice with or without the seed!
Mice generally crawl against the baseboards to get around. A few glue strips will do the trick. I would put them down for several nights in case your mouse has friends. which he likely does!!

Good Luck!!

I throw the strip away with the mouse attached. None of that popping it off with a pencil and setting it free here!

 

[kidshop]

Oh, poor birdy! I think he has been traumatized by the mouse, but I don't think the mouse hurt him at all. The mouse just wanted to eat. I would move the bird to a different area of the house for a change in surroundings. Maybe you could spend some time with him talking soothingly with your hand in the cage, getting closer and closer each day until he's back to himself. I think he just may need extra tlc for a time. If he doesn't seem to be getting better, I would take him to a vet with experience with birds.

 

[deelam]

The bird slept in my bedroom last night. He will sleep in my room every night from now on. I was worried about leaving him home alone today, beings that the mouse or mice are still on the loose. So I put the bird in my front room, in front of a big window. There isn't any food in that room, so I hope he is safe.

Does anyone know if a mouse can squeeze through the bars on a birdcage? I was also thinking of putting some sort of netting on the outside of the cage. This way I can be sure that nothing can get in until the mouse problem is over. I am a little worried because my friend told me that she caught 14 mice in her house last winter. Now, I am prepared to call an extermitanor. My husband wants to tackle the mice on his own. We will try his way first, but I hope it works. I can't bring the bird to work with me.

 

[MELISAZACK]

Yes they can squeeze through the bars ...they (mouse) is going after the seeds and treat not the bird...but birds will react to them in the cage.
We have a 4 yr old parrot and if she is upset or something happen that upset her she will not come out of her cage no matter how we coax her until she is ready....but remember by bringing the bird to your bedroom you are inviting the mouse there too----they will find the seeds trust me...best bet is to just feed the bird at certain times and remove all traces of foods after that it will help with the mouse issue....it takes sometime for the bird to get use to is but it will. good luck.

 

[deelam]

The bird was so upset last night and still kind of freaked out this morning. Every time I tried to get him on my finger, he would just bite my finger and jump away.His bite doesn't hurt or anything, but you could tell he was trying his hardest to bite me hard.

The last think I want to do is draw a mouse into my room. The bird cage will be on the nightstand next to my bed, right next to my head. I'm going to have to find a better spot for birdy in the room. I really don't want mice falling in bed with me.

I'm going to try some kid of netting on the cage tommorrow when I leave him.

 

[deelam]

Birdy seems to be doing much better. He still will not leave his cage and he still tries to bite me when I stick my finger in there. But he seems to be more relaxed and was singing allot. We put sticky traps down last night and did not catch the mouse. So the mouse is on the loose. I am taking mellisazacks advise and removed the food from the cage at night and when the bird is by himself during the day.

 

[MeanLaureen]

Poor birdy... bad Mickey!

Does your cage have a handle on the top that you can use to hang it? You could get one of those chains you can buy for hanging house plants, take a toggle bolt and decorative hook and screw it into the ceiling and hang the bird cage (they love in front of a window). As long as it's not within jumping reach of anything the mouse would have to use gravity defying boots or something to get into the bird's cage.

 

[deelam]

The cage does have a handle to hang, but the bottom (were the litter is) is too heavy and could disconnect from the top part (the actual cage). I think it was a design flaw. I got the cage cheap on clearance. It was a good size cage for the price, but the tradeoff is that you must support the bottom.

I think Birdy really likes the fact that his cage is being moved around. And he loves being infront of the front window during the day.

 

[DisneyVillain]

He's just lonely. Get him a kitten.

 

[experiment626mom]

removed the food from the cage at night and when the bird is by himself during the day.

I don't know if you want to leave your bird without food all day. My birds are snackers and eat on and off all day. My keet was all ways heading down to the food dish.

 

[deelam]

He's just lonely. Get him a kitten.

Really? Don't you think the kitten would attack him?

 

[DisneyVillain]

Really? Don't you think the kitten would attack him?

No. Not really.

 

[ChristmasElf]

DO NOT GET A CAT IF YOU HAVE A BIRD!!!

Talk about freaking your poor birdy out, this would surely do it!! Cats can and will jump up on the cage wherever you put it.
Keep trying with the glue strips. They will work, you may have to put some peanut butter on the edge of it to attract the mice, and put the strips down for several days to get them all, but they will work.

The cage netting is a good idea. Those feild mice are farirly small and get throught an opening the size around of a pencil!!

 

[deelam]

Those feild mice are farirly small and get throught an opening the size around of a pencil!!

That is just so creepy.

On the cat issue, I thought that would be a bad mix. I'm just so gullable. But even I would realize that a cat can't resist a bird.